Derry City: Hutton leads battle weary troops to City Calling Stadium

Derry City manager Peter Hutton on the final whistle against Shamrock Rovers on Friday night at the Brandywell. Picture Margaret McLaughlin � 10-4-15

Published:12:06Friday 01 May 2015

Share this article

PETER Hutton has dismissed speculation that Derry’s training methods may be responsible for the club’s growing injury crisis.

Commenting prior to tomorrow’s trip to the City Calling Stadium in Longford, the Derry boss was quick to point out that quite a few of the injuries sustained by his players had nothing to do with the club’s training methods.

“Most of the injuries we have picked up have been innocuous, impact injuries which can occur anywhere at any time,” he maintained.

“Ryan McBride’s back problem had nothing to do with our training nor has the back injury sustained by Stephen Dooley, as that problem emanated from the gym on the player’s own time.

“Patrick McEleney never had problems with his groin, but he’s out for six weeks having over-stretched against Bohemians and that has nothing to do with training while Philip Lowry also has a groin issue, a strain he has been carrying for a few weeks now,” added Hutton.

Confirming that McEleney would be absent for at least six weeks and given that Lowry is strugging for the Longford game, Derry’s problems appear to be increasing.

Ryan McBride incurred the wrath of the Airtricity League’s Disciplinary Committee having been given a second match ban and he also misses the trip to the Midlands tomorrow.

“It’s not ideal, but we simply have to get on with it,” continued the Derry boss.

“There will be changes in the squad and it will be up to those players who have been brought in, to stand up and be counted.

“For some this will be a window of opportunity for them to get an extended run in the first team, this is now their chance to impress.”

However, he agreed that the loss of key players could prove to be significant.

“We will be fielding without out captain; without Patrick (McEleney) who has been our talisman over recents weeks, while Philip (Lowry) has been another big player for us, so yes we do have problems but nothing we cannot deal with.

“I think we’ve also been very unlucky on the injury front. Our supporters have not seen Stephen Dooley this season, so we will continue to be down in numbers.”

Looking back to last weekend, Hutton was particularly disappointed with the home defeat to Bohemians.

“It was a match we certainly should not have lost. I felt we started well, deserved to break the deadlock but then we seemed to lose our way after they had equalised.

“However, we dominated after the break, created chances and really should have taken one or two of them but their keeper had a good night.

“We conceded a very poor goal, we got punished for not dealing with a situation which was disappointing.

“That’s now behind us. We have to get on with it and it would be nice to get a result in Longford who have had an interesting start to the season.

“They enjoyed a convincing 0-3 in Drogheda last weekend which was a fantastic win for them and they will be confident against us but I believe it’s a game we win.

“We must be disciplined defensively, but I believe we have what’s required to win the match,” he concluded.